


Bittersweet Eve

by meowvelous



Series: All Families Are Psychotic [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas Fluff, HSAU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-26
Updated: 2013-01-26
Packaged: 2017-11-27 00:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/655975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meowvelous/pseuds/meowvelous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Much about Christmas appeals to Castiel. Spending time with family, however, is not one of them. Luckily, he has a backup plan…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bittersweet Eve

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Shortskirts 'Verse](https://archiveofourown.org/works/154453) by [twentysomething](https://archiveofourown.org/users/twentysomething/pseuds/twentysomething). 



> I actually posted this for a friend two years ago on my LJ, on Christmas night. And now here it'll live too!
> 
> This isn't technically a HSASU, it just features teen AU versions of the characters.
> 
> I figure Dean and Cas are grade 12, so they’re 17/18-ish. Sam is grade 10, age 15. Gabe is… idek, 21, maybe? Also, this is pretty much my AU head-canon for how the angel crew would fit as a family. A debt is owed to the "Shortskirts verse" which pretty much has the perfect teenaged Cas.

Objectively, Castiel likes Christmas very much. It is probably his favourite time of year. They always get snow, and the dark winter evenings just mean that the lights shine even brighter. People are stressed, yes, but they are also trying very hard to be _good_ , and Castiel appreciates the effort.  
  
However, when it comes to celebrating Christmas with his family – well, that is another matter entirely.  
  
Anna stays at school as long as she can, avoiding the rest of the family. Eventually, she comes home, and soon is treating everyone like they’re puzzling strangers. It is especially disappointing to Castiel; they were close, before she left, and he had been looking forward to seeing her again.  
  
Michael and Luce sit at opposite sides of the room, glaring at each other, all simmering tension. It is only a matter of time before one or the other explodes.  
  
Gabriel takes up the entire couch, and clears out the bowls of m&ms their mother set out.  
  
Their Father occupies his armchair, and begins drinking before noon. He won’t be sober until he resumes work in the New Year.  
  
Their Mother bustles around, pushing food and guilt on everyone.

* * *

  
Before dinner, with Anna helping Mother in the kitchen (Gabriel banished for sticking his finger in the gravy) – the men convene in the family room. Castiel is uncomfortable to find everyone’s attention briefly focused on himself.  
  
It begins with Luce, taking a long pull from his beer and squinting at his youngest brother. “So, Cassie, how goes school? You got a girlfriend yet?”  
  
Castiel stares back, unblinking (eye contact, Oprah taught him, is very important). Before he can reply and inform Luce that actually, he is courting Dean, Michael interrupts.  
  
“What I want to know is if he’s still hanging around with that Winchester boy from next door. That kid is bad news, remember how his dad was?” As soon as he said this, Luce was already snickering.  
  
“Jesus, Mickey, you’d think you were his dad. Always knew you’d be old before your time.” He smirks, mouth curved around the beer bottle, as Michael glares at him.  
  
Despite the fact that they’re going to be eating soon, Gabriel is munching on popcorn, enjoying the show. He pauses, licking his fingers and wiping them on his pants, to pull out his phone and send off a text. Staring at it until it vibrates, signaling a reply, Gabe hits the center button and reads the message. Chuckling, he stashes the phone and goes back to listening to his brothers snipe at each other.  
  
Unsure if he is relieved or disappointed at the shift in attention, Castiel slumps a bit closer to the floor. He wonders what Dean is doing, and if he is having a more enjoyable evening than Castiel is.

* * *

  
Soon, dinner is served. Usually, their Father gives the blessing. However, he is far too drunk and bleary eyed. Anna is atheist this week, Gabe is a self declared Buddhist, and Michael and Luce can’t agree on what counts as a proper Grace. So their Mother asks Castiel to say it.  
  
He keeps it short, thanking the Lord for the food and their family, and asks Him to watch over them and keep them safe in the New Year.  
  
The family manages to keep quiet until he says ‘Amen’, and they echo it back – then Michael carves the turkey (nearly spearing Luce’s hand in the process, as they both made a mad grab for the knife), and Anna accuses Gabriel of hogging the rolls, while Mother clucks about how nice it is to have the family all together again.  
  
Sitting at the end of the table means the food reaches Castiel last. He doesn’t mind though, just takes moderate portions of his favourites and solemnly eats them.  
  
Soon after, dessert is served; Castiel manages to eat a slice of pie and some ice cream before the fighting begins.  
  
It is the same as always. Michael criticizes something Luce says, Luce retaliates by calling him a Daddy’s boy, and soon they are bickering about who daddy loves best. Dad never came to Luce’s graduation; Dad started drinking when Michael crashed his car on the way back from prom; Dad gave more money to Luce to keep him in school.  
  
Their Mother clears the table, Anna heads to her room to paint, and Castiel slips away unnoticed.

* * *

  
It’s easy to pull on his outerwear; warm boots and hat and scarf and jacket. Not bothering to take a house key, he leaves and shuts the door behind him. The Winchesters don’t live next-door anymore; they moved when their dad skipped town and left them behind.  
  
Bobby Singer lives ten minutes away, on the outskirts of town. The walk there is quiet and peaceful, mainly due to the snow, falling slowly in fat flakes, muffling all noise. It is cold, but not unbearably so. There are enough lights on the houses to guide his way, and Castiel doesn’t feel much alone.  
  
Once he arrives, he bypasses the front door, coming in through the back instead. He pulls off his boots, stuffs his hat and scarf into his jacket, which he hangs up on the empty hook there. The television is on in the family room, Sam stretched out on the couch with Dean sitting in the loveseat, looking bored.  
  
When Castiel approaches, Dean swivels around to see who it is, and grins broadly. Hesitantly, Castiel smiles back. “Hey Cas, I was starting to wonder what was goin’ on. Had enough of the family, huh?” He moves over, making room for Castiel to sit next to him. A beer, half finished and undoubtedly a generous allowance from Bobby, dangles from Dean’s fingers.  
  
Sam looks up, gives a quiet greeting, and goes back to watching the tv (it’s the animated Grinch, and Castiel is relieved to see he hasn’t missed the part with the song as the Grinch steals Christmas. He quite likes that part). There is a bowl of popcorn on Sam’s lap, eaten down to the kernels.  
  
“I admit,” Castiel says slowly as he sits down. “I grew weary with their bickering. Where is Robert?”  
  
“Hah! I don’t blame you. Him and Crowley took a bottle of scotch and went upstairs.” Dean shrugs, and Castiel remembers vividly how upset Dean was when Crowley first started calling on Bobby. It was Castiel who pointed out how happy Crowley made Bobby, which caused Dean to begrudgingly accept that his guardian required company beyond his adopted sons. “So, how bad was it?”  
  
Leaning close, Castiel confides, “They asked, as usual, if I had a girlfriend yet.”  
  
Dean’s eyes dart down to Cas’ lips, and he licks his own. “Oh. What’d you tell them?”  
  
“There was no need for me to answer. They soon distracted themselves.” Inching his hand forward, Castiel’s lips curve in a gratified smile when Dean links their hands together, giving his a gentle squeeze, brushing a thumb over his knuckle.  
  
Smiling back, Dean laughs quietly. “Huh. No surprise there.”  
  
Absent-mindedly, Sam shushes them; Castiel looks up, and leans forward when he realizes it is the part with the song.

* * *

  
Once Christmas is returned to Whoville, and the credits finish rolling, Sam stretches and declares he’s going to bed. After dropping the bowl off in the kitchen, he bids them goodnight and heads upstairs. Castiel cocks his head, listens to the heavy tread of Sam’s feet on the stairs.  
  
He counts to ten, waits for Dean to swallow the last of the beer, before he says, “You realize that my brother will soon rendezvous with yours, via his bedroom window, yes?”  
  
As he’d hoped, Dean chokes and sputters. “What?”  
  
“Gabriel was texting him earlier. I assume it was to set up an illicit meeting.” Even though they’re the only ones in the room, Castiel still likes crowding Dean’s personal space, speaking as if they are telling secrets, sharing breaths and smiles.  
  
Setting the empty beer bottle down on the table, Dean lets out a huff of amused laughter. “For a sec, I was worried you meant one of your other brothers. Well, at least Gabe gave Sammy some warning.” He gives Castiel a pointed look, who stares blandly back.  
  
“Might I remind you that my phone currently resides at the bottom of Robert’s pond, because _you_ wanted to try ice fishing?” Castiel cocks his head, trying to look stern.  
  
It doesn’t seem to work, because Dean is smiling as he leans towards Castiel. “Geez Cas, a guy makes one mistake and you hold it over his head. I promised I’d make it up to you, just wait until tomorrow, okay?” Before Castiel can reply, Dean kisses him.  
  
They neck on the couch, slow and lazy and comfortable. When Castiel gets drowsy, and begins to struggle to keep his eyes open, Dean leads him upstairs. There’s already a toothbrush for him in the bathroom, and it’s easy enough to borrow some of Dean’s pajamas.  
  
He’ll have to leave early tomorrow morning, return to his family for presents and more theatrics, though it’s a comfort to know Gabe will be around to give him a drive back.  
  
For now, it’s enough to curl up by Dean’s side, warm under the blankets, listening to his breathing and watching the snow fall outside as Castiel drifts off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> There's a sequel-ish thing centered around Sam and Gabe (ie trying to make that pairing with the age difference not so creepy but I doubt it'll see the light of day :X)
> 
> Also, title comes from the song "Bittersweet Eve" by Belasana. Which is actually a song about New Year's Eve. Mere technicalities.


End file.
